compulsory psychiatric care 74 The need to segregate a patient for more than eight hours should only arise in distinctive, exceptional cases. gislative history, the intention is that this is an exceptional provision aimed at certain extreme cases where a patient’s situation is so difficult that segregation must take place for a period longer than a few days. Such a need should only arise in distinctive, exceptional cases. The Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman also referred to an earlier decision concerning Sundsvall Regional Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, where the Parliamentary Ombudsman stated that a decision meaning segregation should apply for “a maximum of 72 hours” does not reference such a specific time as pertained to in the law.14 During the inspection of Helix, it was noted that the clinic had a routine which means that newly admitted patients were regularly initially segregated for longer than eight hours. In the view of the Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman, this raised the question of whether the conditions are normally such that the high requirements set for a segregation are met and that special reasons exist. The Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman was strongly critical of the way in which Helix has chosen to expand extensively the possibilities of segregating patients during initial care by placing them in the observation unit. Furthermore, the Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman assumed that the clinic would immediately review its practices and adapt them to the current legislation. With regard to the details that have emerged, the Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman announced that a follow-up inspection of the clinic would be carried out during the first half of 2020.15 A patient segregated or restrained must be examined by a doctor as soon as possible During the inspection of Växjö Regional Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, the issue of medical assessments in connection with restraint or segregation was raised. The written routines state that doctors must individually examine the patient on site before making a decision on restraint for more than four hours and segregation for more than eight hours. In conversations with several of the employees, it emerged that the doctors did not always come to the units during the first decision on restraint or segregation. The Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman recommended Kronoberg Region to take measures to ensure patients are examined by a doctor as soon as possible in connection with a decision to take a coercive measure.16 Patients segregated for lengthy periods For several years, the Parliamentary Ombudsmen have followed how the regions conduct the care of patients who are segregated for a lengthy periods. What has emerged concerning these patients’ living conditions raises, inter alia, questions regarding which alternatives have been considered by the clinics for the care and treatment of these patients. Following the OPCAT inspection of Säter Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, the Parliamentary Ombuds14 See the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s report p. 18 and 19, ref. no. O 3-2019 and report p. 17 and 18, ref. no. O 18-2019. 15 See the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s report p. 22, ref. no. O 3-2019. 16 See the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s report p. 23, ref. no. 3816-2017 and the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s report p. 18, ref. no. O 182019.